I just finished HL2 which I bought retail and I was feeling a bug to play HL 1 and maybe Opposing Forces so I log into Steam to check out prices.

Valve is nice enough to offer that I can buy those games for only $89, or $50 in the bundles with HL2! Isn't that great?

No, it isn't (in case you wondered) It is stupid. They could have may $10 from me by letting me buy those games but no they are only sold in the bundle.

Since Steam is always running, etc. every game these sell is profit. They could have made a profit on me but they have decided that would be silly. They actually would prefer that they never got any more money from me.

Half Life, Opposing Force, etc. all show up under the Browse Games section (where you can buy stuff). Are you sure you're looking in the right spot? Before HL2 was released, they let you buy them all individually. I can't tell now, because my Steam account has everything open already.

I'm with Jeff. Bought bronze (didn't realise "Half-Life Source" meant the old game with the new enghine; thought it was an SDK or something) and now want silver. No option to upgrade for the difference, even.

Half Life, Opposing Force, etc. all show up under the Browse Games section (where you can buy stuff). Are you sure you're looking in the right spot? Before HL2 was released, they let you buy them all individually. I can't tell now, because my Steam account has everything open already.

Those are the old versions ... we're talking about the new versions of DoD and HL1, with the new Source engine updates.

-Legal contract between Valve and VU preventing the separate sale of HL: Source through Steam since it was also included in a boxed SKU.

-Valve has yet to determine the pricing structure for add-ons, mods, etc.

-Trying to limit additional strain on Steam during the initial HL2 release period.

As noted, Valve knows they are losing money by having a product consumers may want unavailable for seperate purchase. Whether its publicized or not, there must be a reason for its unavailability.

Another possiblity- the PC Gamer piece mentioned that Valve would likely be working with the mod community to create texture packs for HL: Source. They may want to hold off on the release until that is ready and possibly even treat it like a like a seperate product like CS and DoD with current owners of HL: Source able to get the texture pack for free but others having to purchase it for $20.

The only thing I will contribute to this thread is that for $5 more (since HL2 is $54.99 in retail standard) you could have had all of Valve's previous titles (Counter-Strike, Opposing Forces, Half-Life, etc.), HL1: Source and DoD: Source (not out yet) ready to download. That would constitute the Silver Steam package for $59.95, a scant $5 more than standard retail that only comes with CDs (with Steam you can backup via CD or DVD so you can have physical media) and a quick guide.

Valve obviously felt that was a good deal and did not have anything in place to buy the rest of the stuff separately through Steam as of yet.

I bet folks are right and they will eventually offer it. It is just to easy not to. It already exists as a download so all it would require is taking people's money and then enabling some permissions to download the files and play them.

For Valve it requires practically no investment. The work is already done for the most part. They have the games, they have the delivery method, they have the payment process, etc. It is pure profit.

But they also want to wait until after Christmas so they can maximize their earnings potential off of the pre-existing packages. Good Lord, I sound like a marketing peon. I thought about this the other day, and when it's available for single DL I might grab the original for $10 just because I don't want that stupid Sierra Utilities crap all over my PC again were I to install my CD of it.

I thought about this the other day, and when it's available for single DL I might grab the original for $10 just because I don't want that stupid Sierra Utilities crap all over my PC again were I to install my CD of it.

HL: Source is actually a really nice package. The interface has been redone to match HL2's- the graphical and audio options are the same as HL2's (ie AA/AF options, etc). The audio, while not re-recorded, sounds fantastic when running through the Source Engine. There is specular highlighting, the new pretty water, 2D skyboxes replaced with 3D representations, physics system, etc.

I replayed HL last year and getting it to run correctly took a bit of doing. Playing it on a system nearly an order of magnitude faster than it was designed for made movemement speeds were *way* too fast, the original surround audio was designed for now-defunct A3D, etc. HL: Source is definitely the way to go for a replay.

I just finished HL2 which I bought retail and I was feeling a bug to play HL 1 and maybe Opposing Forces so I log into Steam to check out prices.

Is this a situation where you have the original HL1 at home but didn't feel like reinstalling it from disc? If so, what you can do is register the game through Steam using the CD key and HL is then available for download along with Opposing Forces, original Counterstrike, etc. It's the non-Source version unfortunately.

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Let us be thankful we have an occupation to fill. Work hard, increase production, prevent accidents and be happy.

Let us be thankful we have commerce. Buy more. Buy more now. Buy. And be happy.

I bet folks are right and they will eventually offer it. It is just to easy not to. It already exists as a download so all it would require is taking people's money and then enabling some permissions to download the files and play them. For Valve it requires practically no investment. The work is already done for the most part. They have the games, they have the delivery method, they have the payment process, etc. It is pure profit.

Not if the "profit" has to be turned over to Vivendi due to previous contractual obligations. Please think about this. Vivendi bought Sierra. Sierra published HL. Therefore Vivendi may have claims to HL.

Vivendi and Valve are involved in lawsuits regarding royalties owned and the Steam distribution method.

Given that these are the facts, do you think they *MIGHT* be impacting what you see as a no-brainer business decision? (hint, the answer is yes).

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A Pew Research Center poll found nearly half of Americans hold the false belief that TARP was passed under President Obama, while only 34 percent know it originated under Bush."Oh yeah?" Bush replied. "50% of the people were wrong."

As for the reason behind the "delay" for a $10 upgrade, I've got to think it's a little from column A, and a little from column B. Legally, Valve isn't completely out of the woods yet, so sorting out how people are going to get paid for HL: Source, DoD: Source, and the back log of other games you get with the Silver package may still be an issue.

On the other side of things, Valve is trying to make money, and they want people to buy the Silver package right off the bat, not the Bronze at first (or the retail) with the intention of upgrading later on if they feel like more. If Valve stated that they'd offer a ten buck upgrade right off the bat, the numbers that grabbed the Silver deal would have been a fraction of what they actually were, because you'd have players going, "Well, all I really need is the Bronze - maybe I'll grab Silver later on if I still think I want it." No one twisted your arm to buy the Bronze version or the retail.

The only people who were "stuck" with the lowest package - ATI coupon holders - were given the choice to pay for more. But they're in a different camp as stand alone buyers, so you can't compare their upgrade to yours. So, no, I do not think that Valve is stupid to not offer an upgrate weeks after the game's release. In fact, it makes business sense.